Monitor on the consumer energy market: more and more rates are below the price cap
Rates in new contracts for natural gas and/or electricity continued to go down last month. As a result, the variable supply tariff in 35 percent of the contracts offered to new customers dropped below the price cap (in early March, this percentage was 16 percent). This means that these lower rates can also be beneficial for households with energy consumptions below the price cap. This is one of the conclusions of the latest version of the Monitor on the consumer energy market (in Dutch: Monitor Consumentenmarkt Energie) published by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM).
The Monitor also reveals that the number of fixed energy contracts slightly went up last month. At the moment, eight suppliers offer fixed contracts of at least 12 months. From June 1, 2023, more fixed contracts are expected to be offered, as the new rules for variable early-termination fees will go into effect on that date. With these new rules, offering fixed contracts will carry fewer risks for energy suppliers. Many consumers would like to have fixed-rate contracts, which offer certainty over what consumers need to pay over the next few years.
Checking the reachability of suppliers
ACM finds it important that energy suppliers can be easily reached by consumers with questions or problems. Suppliers are statutorily required to be reachable by email and phone if consumers have any questions when taking out energy contracts online. That is why ACM checked whether all suppliers had an email address and a phone number on their websites. It turned out that 29 of 57 suppliers had this information clearly on their contact page or on their customer service page. 28 suppliers did not have their phone numbers and/or email addresses on their websites, or these were difficult to find. ACM confronted these suppliers with these findings, and 55 now display their phone numbers and email address on their customer-service page or contact page.
With regard to energy suppliers Essent and Energiedirect, the email addresses and/or phone numbers of their customer-service departments are only visible for consumers that have started the online ordering process for a new energy contract. As such, both suppliers do comply with the minimum statutory requirements. However, ACM does not consider these practices to be customer-friendly as not all existing and future customers are able to contact these energy suppliers directly over the phone or email.
ACM has expanded the Monitor on the consumer energy market with information about the reachability of suppliers. The monitor also shows what channels can be used to contact suppliers and what the opening hours are.